The horizontal tails on the first F-35 have been installed at Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth facility, marking completion of major structural component assembly by the Joint Strike Fighter team, the company announced Tuesday. The next major milestone for the fifth generation fighter is engine installation in early 2006. Lockheed says Pratt & Whitney is scheduled to deliver the F135 engine to Texas before the end of December.
The rate of building B-21 bombers would speed up if the fiscal 2026 defense budget passes. But it remains unclear how much capacity would be added, and whether the Air Force would simply build the bombers faster, or buy more.
